"Now she's doing real good," said a jubilant Joyce Smith, her mother. "I thank God and all the people that prayed for her . . . Our fears have just turned into joy and happiness."

Smith, who has three other children ages 3 to 7, said Joileen has changed her life.

Having put her faith in God to keep her daughter alive when the odds were against it, Smith said, "I just prayed and prayed and prayed and she's here.

"I'm so grateful she's back home. It's just a blessing with all she's been through - that she's able to be home with us."

Joileen had three operations at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to correct a problem in which blood flowed the wrong way through her heart and body, according to her mother. She also was at Allentown Hospital for more than a month.

Getting stronger each day, Joileen remains on a feeding tube to build her up on an hourly basis. She has gained more than two pounds since she came home last month, and with a few more pounds, she will be able to drink from a bottle.

She is not quite as active as any other 8-month-old, said her mother, but is "bright-eyed and moves a lot. She's a fussy little thing with a temper. She likes to sit in her swing."

Smith and Joileen's father, Darrell Mason, spend each day getting to know their new addition. Although she was born June 3 at St. Luke's Hospital, the baby was hospitalized for so long and is still so small that in many ways it's as if she were born only last month.

"She had to get to know us (and) we had to get to know her. But she came home small, so we still have time to watch her grow. We haven't missed out on all the things that happen from newborn on," said Smith.